The present invention is directed to medical devices for ambulatory care and more particularly ergonomic crutches. A crutch is generally defined as a medical device that is used to support all or part of a patient's body weight. Crutches have traditionally been made of wood or metal, and are ordinarily long enough to reach from a patient's underarm to the walking surface. Full-sized convention crutches typically a concave surface fitting underneath the arm, and a cross bar for the hand, both used for supporting the body weight. Crutches may be used by a patient for only a few days or, in some instances, a lifetime.
One variation of traditional crutches is a forearm crutch. A forearm crutch, like a full-sized conventional crutch, is used to transfer part of a patient's body weight to their hands and arms while walking. As the name would indicate, forearm crutches extend from a patient's forearm rather than the patient's underarm. Forearm crutches are often employed where a patient is able to manage without the necessity of a full length crutch.
On occasion, crutches have been observed to cause or lead indirectly to multiple injuries and disorders despite their ability to transfer weight. Each repetition of usage of the crutch may be injurious and can produce micro-trauma to the tissues and joints of the body. Although the human body has enormous self-repair abilities, continued exposure to such activities can outweigh these abilities, which then results in injury.